Author: Hamza Rufai

THE Senate committee on public accounts has summoned a former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, to explain an alleged ₦210 trillion that was not properly accounted for between 2017 and 2023. Kyari was summoned alongside a former chief financial officer, Umar Ajia Isa, and former group general manager of National Petroleum Investment Management Services, Bala Wunti. Chairman of the Committee, Senator Aliyu Wadada, issued the summons on Thursday following a review of audit reports concerning the national oil company. The committee also warned that it could issue warrants of arrest against…

THE National Chairman of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Ahmed Ajuji, says the party has written to the United States Congress to defend its 2023 presidential candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, following allegations linking him to terrorism. Ajuji disclosed this during an interview on Arise Television monitored by News Point Nigeria on Thursday, stating that the party moved swiftly to counter what it described as politically motivated accusations. The NNPP chair said Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, was unfairly singled out. “In the first place, you understand that he was the only individual who was named by name. All the…

THE House of Representatives has commenced moves to recover over $7bn allegedly owed to the Federation Account by some foreign airlines operating in the country since 2023. The Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, Abiodun Faleke, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at the flag-off of the review of the 2023–2025 revenue monitoring exercise of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria. Faleke, who represents Ikeja Federal Constituency of Lagos State, expressed concern over the scale of indebtedness by both foreign and domestic airlines, following submissions made by FAAN’s Managing Director, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku. Kuku told the committee that out…

THE Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has announced an increase in the number of train services along the Abuja–Kaduna corridor, citing growing passenger demand on the route. In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Tuesday by its Chief Public Relations Officer, Callistus Unyimadu, the corporation said the revised timetable will take effect from March 6. According to the NRC, the additional trips are aimed at providing commuters with more travel options, enhancing operational flexibility, and improving service delivery on one of the country’s busiest rail corridors. “The corridor had earlier experienced operational disruptions following the March 28, 2022 bomb…

THE Senate Committee on Finance has rescinded its earlier resolution recommending the removal of the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Hussaini Magaji, by President Bola Tinubu. News Point Nigeria reports that the committee had, during a session with the Federal Government’s economic team last week, called on President Tinubu to remove the CAC chief over his alleged repeated refusal to appear before it. However, at another session today, the committee reversed the decision following what members described as genuine remorse shown by Magaji. A motion for rescission was moved by Senator Jibrin Isa (Kogi East) and seconded by…

THE Federal Government has commenced the implementation of Executive Order 9 of 2026, which mandates the direct remittance of oil revenues to the Federation Account Allocation Committee. The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, disclosed this in a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Monday, detailing key resolutions reached at the meeting. This followed the directive of President Bola Tinubu on the remittance to FAAC and the inaugural meeting of the implementation committee for the executive order. Edun said the committee reaffirmed the President’s directive that revenues accruing to the federation from petroleum operations…

IN a decisive step towards strengthening Nigeria’s electoral integrity ahead of the 2027 General Election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced a comprehensive technical review of its Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties to align them with the recently assented Electoral Act 2026 and emerging electoral realities. The exercise, convened under the leadership of the Commission’s Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, represents a critical phase in the Commission’s ongoing reform agenda aimed at strengthening political party oversight, improving compliance culture, reducing pre-election disputes, and enhancing public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process. The Technical Workshop on the Revision…

THE Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has rejected allegations circulating on social media that he made an advance on a lady years ago, calling them unfounded and trivial. News Point Nigeria reports that a businesswoman, Tracyniter Nicholas Ohiri, in a viral video, alleged that the minister demanded sex from her in exchange for the payment of a purported debt. Ohiri would later be arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, on a defamation charge. However, speaking in response to the claims in a video in Enugu after inspecting federal government projects in Enugu and Anambra State, Umahi…

THE Senate has pledged to conclude the amendment of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution to pave the way for the establishment of state police before the end of 2026, signaling a major shift in the country’s security architecture. News Point Nigeria reports that the Senate spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, disclosed on Sunday that the upper legislative chamber would immediately resume deliberations on the constitutional review once plenary reconvenes next week. According to him, lawmakers are determined to fast-track the amendment process to ensure that the legal framework for state police is in place before political campaigns commence ahead of the next general election…

THE African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected the revised 2026–2027 electoral timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), alleging that it contains “boobytraps” designed to exclude opposition parties and pave the way for President Bola Tinubu’s unopposed return in the 2027 general elections. In a statement sent to News Point Nigeria on Friday and signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC faulted new compliance requirements introduced under Sections 77 and 82 of the Electoral Act 2026, saying they impose unfair burdens on opposition parties while conferring undue advantage on the ruling party. According to…

THE Commandant-General (CG) of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr Ahmed Audi, on Friday bowed out of service, after reaching the mandatory retirement age and completing his tenure. News Point Nigeria reports that Audi assumed office on March 1, 2021 following his appointment by late President Muhammadu Buhari. Audi, celebrated his last day in office while commemorating the 2026 World Civil Defence Day on Friday at the NSCDC Headquarters, Abuja. The Federal Government is yet to announce Audi’s successor. This newspaper also reports that, Audi, who hails from Nasarawa, was born on Sept. 30, 1967, holds a…

THE Senate has called for the removal of the Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Hussaini Ishaq Magaji, following what lawmakers described as his repeated failure to honour invitations to appear before the upper chamber. News Point Nigeria reports that the resolution was adopted during a tense session of the Senate Committee on Finance, shortly after members of the President’s economic team appeared for an engagement with lawmakers. Proceedings began on a visibly strained note as heads of government agencies were introduced at the start of the session. Lawmakers quickly voiced displeasure at the absence of the CAC Registrar-General,…

THE Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund on Wednesday subjected officials of the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) to intense scrutiny, raising far-reaching concerns over examination charges, recurring technical failures, rural access to tertiary education, and the board’s rising revenue projections. News Point Nigeria reports that the session, which formed part of the National Assembly’s oversight functions, highlighted growing frustration among lawmakers over what they described as increasing financial burdens on Nigerian students amid prevailing economic hardship. Leading the charge was Senator Amos Yohanna (PDP, Adamawa North), who questioned the justification for JAMB’s examination fees at a time…

OPERATIVES of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested a sixth suspect allegedly connected to the deadly 2022 attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, marking a significant breakthrough in the long-running investigation into one of Nigeria’s most horrific terror incidents in recent years. News Point Nigeria reports that the attack, which occurred in June 2022 in Owo, Ondo State, claimed the lives of more than 40 worshippers and left dozens injured, sending shockwaves across the country and drawing widespread condemnation. Security sources confirmed that the suspect, identified as Sani Yusuf, was apprehended in the Iguosa community along Powerline…

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu, on Monday in Abuja, urged Muslim and Christian leaders in the country to show greater compassion for the poor and underprivileged by pursuing policies that cater to the needs of the majority in the grassroots. News Point Nigeria reports that the President, who hosted governors for the breaking of an interfaith fast at the Presidential Villa, said the simultaneous periods of abstinence and penitence for both religions underscore a common humanity. President Tinubu noted that Ramadan and Lent provide opportunities for leaders in both religions to reflect further on the plight of others and to design programmes…

NICHOLAS Mutu Ebomo, the lawmaker representing Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency of Delta State, has emerged as the longest-serving member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, maintaining an unbroken presence in the green chamber since the advent of the Fourth Republic in 1999. With 27 consecutive years in parliament, Mutu remains the only legislator to have served continuously from Nigeria’s return to democratic governance to date, a rare feat in a political landscape often marked by defections, intense party rivalries and shifting alliances. Since his first election in 1999 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mutu has successfully secured re-election…

THE National Assembly has introduced far-reaching reforms in Nigeria’s electoral framework with the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026, prescribing a two-year jail term for any Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) who withholds vital electoral documents and establishing a dedicated fund to guarantee the financial autonomy of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general election. News Point Nigeria reports that the sweeping reforms were disclosed on Sunday by the Leader of the Senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, in a statement issued in Abuja, where he outlined what lawmakers described as a painstaking two-year process of recrafting Nigeria’s electoral governance…

AT an age when most university students rush between lectures with plates of rice, bread rolls or snacks in hand, 21-year-old Sammy Samaila walks quietly across campus carrying something different, a flask of pap. For more than two decades, Sammy has never eaten solid food. Yet he is now a 400-level Sociology student at Gombe State University, steadily approaching graduation with determination that belies the mystery surrounding his condition. In an exclusive interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Sammy revealed that since childhood, his diet has consisted entirely of liquids, pap, “tom brown” made from millet, groundnuts and soya…

THE by-election for the Ungogo and Kano Municipal State Assembly constituencies in Kano State was overshadowed by controversy on Saturday as three major opposition parties — the African Democratic Congress (ADC), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) shunned the polls, citing alleged irregularities and fears of violence. News Point Nigeria reports that the rerun election was conducted to fill the vacant seats left by the deaths of Aminu Sa’ad Ungogo and Sarki Aliyu Daneji, both elected on the NNPP platform, who passed away on the same day in December 2025. Leaders of the boycotting parties alleged…

THE Senate on Thursday confronted the President’s economic management team over what it described as poor implementation of the 2025 budget and unrealistic assumptions underpinning the proposed ₦58.7 trillion 2026 budget, raising the possibility of trimming the ambitious spending plan. News Point Nigeria reports that the sharp exchanges occurred during a tense budget defence session before the Senate Committee on Appropriations, where key members of the economic team appeared to defend the Federal Government’s fiscal projections. Several lawmakers expressed frustration over widespread complaints from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) regarding non-funding of the 2025 budget. Senators cited reports of unpaid…